Thursday, April 30, 2009

My friend Eric Quade purchased an amazing new camera. So I had him take a better picture of my eye. This picture is pretty darn impressive for him not even having a macro lense.

As you can see most of the redness is out of my eye. Even though I'm holding my eye open with my fingers you cant see the anchor points for the cutting guide, but they are way less red as well.

You can get a good sense of the 17 anchor stitches still in my eye that holds the new cornea on. There are a few other tension stitches that are too hard to see yet though.

My vision has improved from 20/500 (a rat's is 20/600) to 20/50 and 20/30 (with pinhole assist). Which is pretty damn amazing. I still have a double image due to the astigmatism but that's normal. My vision should finally become fixed at or around the 6 month mark and then it will be contact or glasses time.

Monday, April 27, 2009

GM has officially announced the end of the Pontiac line of cars, saying that they will be fully phased out by 2010. I, for one, am glad to see it go. While I have owned one Pontiac in the past and enjoyed it, I certainly didnt buy it because it was a Pontiac and I'm glad I dont have it anymore.

Pontiac's model line is one of the things that also confused me with what GM was doing with their cars. So many of the Pontiac's were duplicates of other cars that were made under the Chevy brand or other ones. And while I understand the concept of uni-body designs to cut down on production costs, it really doesnt seem to make sense to me to have 12 different names for basically the same cars.

Now you may be wondering why there's a picture of an Native American on this post. Well if you didnt know the name "Pontiac" comes from an Anglo-saxon slang version of the Native American Chief Obwandiyag. They started calling him Pontiac because they couldnt pronounce his name or be bothered to try to I guess while they were stealing all his land and mass slaughtering his people. It's also ironic to note that Chief Obwandiyag is probably best known for leading a massive unsuccessful attack against Fort Detroit.

Hopefully once GM gets all settled down again they will introduce a new brand to replace Pontiac. Maybe they can call it Uncle Tom or Sambo. Now presenting the Sambo Melon G5 Coupe new for 2015.

Okay out with it. Let's hope everyone agrees with you and I dont have to do this for all the right-wing people out to define this.

It's about spending — too much spending, to be specific. The idea that a business is too big to fail is anti-American; we've always been for the underdog.

Spending has been bad thru many times in history, why has this time got you so riled up? And if you say this is the straw that broke the camel's back we may have to have a sit down with a line graph. So you'd think it would be a good idea to let these places fail and let that many people out of work and unable to buy products from the companies that didnt fail? I dont agree with helping the businesses out either but this is an extreme situation.

It's about putting my family — my children — under $12.8 trillion in debt; all it took was two presidents and six months.

You bred? How much are you expecting Glenn Jr to pony up of that $12.8 trillion? We've almost always been indebt thru our history and we "the greatest nation ever" so we cant be too bad.

It's about the idea that we're all socialists now.

Welcome. You can pick up your membership jacket at the next table. Honestly explain to me what's so bad about being a socialist.

It's about the idea that the government can force companies, banks and states to take money and the strings that are attached to it, that they didn't want.

Oh man, you mean we cant just give them our money and ignore what they do with it? Seriously?

It's about power — too much power going to federal government.

As opposed to what? The state government? Something would tell me in 100 years you wouldnt like the state government either. Your argument that America is great is slighted by you turning it into America is great, our government sucks. Our government is America along with everything else. Like it or leave it.

It's about corruption — too much corruption, in both parties.

Really? Now it's bad enough for you to say something? The real problem I have is here is you act like the first person to ever notice it or say something.

It's about the rule of law — that no one is above the law: if you're here legally or illegally, it applies-never too rich or powerful.

Really? You're so fair and balanced it makes my head spin. Did you not live in this country during Bush Jr's terms?

It's about if you write the tax code you should pay your taxes.

Not sure where you're going here with this one. Seems like a paritsan slam, but you do know lots of republicans skip out too right? Otherwise this can be condensed with your statement above.

It's about the Republic, not mob rule.

I almost didnt hear you say that surrounded by that huge mob of yours. Not sure how we arent a Republic and technically in a Republic the mob (or largest group of agreeing citizens) do in fact run the joint.

It's about the concept of free speech — we've been called insane, lunatics and worse, just for speaking out.

It's free to call you anything too. Free speech doesnt mean you can say something and people just have to sit and listen. But I'm sorry since apparently you've never casted a stone in your life. Sorry to hurt your delicate sensitivities.

It's about the years of lies from both parties — a Republican Party that claims to be for small government but gives us Medicare Part D that's got $17 trillion in unfunded liabilities.

Straw and camel argument again here? Seriously have you lived in a hole your whole life? Big is subjective too so stop using it in this form for this argument.

It's about hypocrisy — both parties claim to be the most ethical, but we get corruption and not one damn person in Washington to speak out against it.

Yep no one ever talks about that stuff. Thank god you spotted that one and let us all know. “The true hypocrite is the one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity”

It's about the media that gets into bed with one party and has moved so far left that it can't even begin to see we're not extremists, we're moms and dads who just want to have a Republic for our children; but they can't see it.

So just when this goes to the left it's an issue? Not when Fox News (in bed with the Republicans) hosting shows that actually shout down the son of someone who died in 9/11?

But I'm the extremist.

Okay. Admitting it is the first step.

Bush and Obama spend or put us on the hook for $12.8 trillion, but I'm the extremist?

Is 12.7 not extreme? What's your reasonable numbers here? Presenting an argument like this does make you sound like an extremist.

Cap and Trade without any plan on who pays the taxes or where the money goes, but I'm the extremist?

See above and then sit down and let's see if you can explain how Cap and Trade actually works.

States are looking to apply retroactive taxes — that's like changing the rules in the middle of the game — but I'm the extremist?

Is it all a game to you? Just curious.

Vilifying AIG executives, without any law being broken, just for accepting money they were owed, but I'm the extremist?

They werent owed it by us. Oh and way to defend AIG you little extremist you.

Bush and Obama have taken over and want to take over banks, car manufacturers and insurance companies, but I'm the extremist?

Sure. I think we've already been thru this.

The politicians in the House and Senate stuff $20 billion in pork and earmarks into spending bills when we have to beg the Chinese to loan us that money, and I'm the extremist?

If you are so pro-private sector, go out and figure out a way to make $20 billion and buy it yourself. Dont be so jealous because the Chinese can out spend you.

A Supreme Court justice and Harold Koh, who will help run the State Department, talk about trans-nationalism and by definition a diminished role for the Constitution, but I'm the extremist?

Yes you are! Ugh.

Politicians openly talk of the Fairness Doctrine — or its ugly twin, "localism" — and curtailing my free speech, but I'm the extremist?

They do? That thing was old news when they stopped using it back in 1987. Sounds to me though you're more afraid of competition with your free speech. Which would also explain why you and your team seem to vilify the blogs so much.

Unions and big labor politicians want to take away the right to a secret ballot, but I'm the extremist?

How so? It's still there, they simply added a step to vote for whether there should be one or just go straight to the union vote.

I believe in the Constitution. I believe in the Founding Fathers. I believe in the American people. When did believing those things make someone — anyone — an extremist?

Good then read the Constitution a bunch of history books. I'm an American do you believe in me too? And it never has made anyone an extremist that's you inventing some bullshit panic "us vs. them" stuff to charge people up. Oh and I'm guessing you havent read those history books I spoke of yet so I will just remind you that believing in those things made our Founding Father's a bunch of extremists if you were BRITISH!!! You dolt. Eye-the-beholder stuff here *smack*.

I'm not the extremist.

Oh. I thought you just said you were ... So are you a non-extremist then? That seems pretty extreme to me.

I learned something from a lawyer friend of mine who won lots of cases in front of judges and lawyers — I asked him how he won so many cases. He said it's easy: If the law supports my client's position I argue the law. If not, I argue the facts. If the facts don't support my client's position, I just attack the opposition.

They can't attack the message, so I guess they have to target the messenger.

I learned something from the waiter in the fabulous movie "Victor Victoria" -- "... it's a moron who argues with a horses ass." so on that note I am shutting up now.

Facsismn. 1. A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism. 2. A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government. 2. Oppressive, dictatorial control.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Sorry it took so long to make a post. Today's really been the first day I've felt good enough to get in front of a computer.

Everything went really well. All the people up at Vision Associates are so great. I cant believe I even thought about going somewhere else. They got me right in and all setup and it wasnt too long till I was loaded up with some good drugs and off to surgery I went.

I dont remember a whole lot of the procedure itself, because I had a memory block too, but it seemed to go simple enough - didnt feel a thing. And afterwards all the doctor and nurses said everything went fine.

I was pretty wiped out the rest of the day and basically came home, took my first round of drops and antibiotics and slept. I got up the next day and off we went back to Toledo for my first follow-up appointment.

They removed the bandages for the first time and light and shadows started streaming thru my new cornea. Then shapes and colors. Even though my eyelashes were pretty mated down I could see way better than what I thought. I could see my doctor's fingers in front of my face, then from halfway across the room and then all the way across the room. He fired up the eye chart and I read about 5 lines of it pretty well. The best they could've hoped for was just me counting fingers in front of my face. The doctor even said he could see signs that the top was beginning to heal.

They went thru some more questions I had and made sure I was good to go until my next follow-up appointment and cleared me to drive when I felt well enough. I didnt drive home, or have driven yet. My eye's still pretty weepy and honestly I feel like total poop. No pain or anything, apparently it's a side effect of the oral anti-biotic I've been taking (Cipro) that and I get some pretty rough sinus type headaches from all the drainage. Other than that stuff though I feel pretty good and very excited to see how well my eye continues to heal.

I'm going to take off and get some more rest. I need to make sure I'm in good shape to color easter eggs this weekend and for work on Monday and dont want to push myself while I have time to rest. Thanks for all the emails, phone calls and well wishes. I really appreciate it.

Monday, April 06, 2009

I've been extremely busy lately. Work has been going like gangbusters. Getting ready to turn up a new cellular network, so that will be cool.

I've also been trying to get a bunch of little odds and ends done because tomorrow I go for my corneal transplant.

You may remember I tried this last time and between the doctor's office dicking the times around and my anxiety I just canceled the whole thing and didnt reschedule.

Well I'm back to my original surgeon in Toledo and it's all setup for 9am tomorrow morning. So hopefully this will be it and I will finally get all fixed up and be able to see again out of my left eye.